Witnesses told Ma'an that PA forces stopped hundreds of protesters from continuing their march to the Israeli checkpoint by setting up their own flying checkpoints and blockades.

Leading members of the Fatah movement, PLO Executive Committee members, and officials from other Palestinian factions were reportedly present for the demonstration.

Dozens of youth left the march after Palestinian forces suppressed the protest, and instead headed to an area in al-Bireh near the illegal Israeli settlement of Psegot where protesters clashed with Israeli forces.

PA security forces last week also blocked protesters from reaching the illegal Beit El settlement area. The forces reporteldy assaulted several journalists and prevented them from covering clashes that broke out between the forces and protesters at the time.

A Palestinian media rights group launched an investigation into the incident and demanded that the Palestinian Authority hold security forces accountable for violations committed against the media.

In September, the PA came under fire after a local journalist caught PA police forces on camera beating protesters in the street while attempting to prevent youth from protesting in front of a military site behind Israel's separation wall near the northern entrance of Bethlehem city.

As the video rapidly spread throughout social networks, as well as local and international media, PA officials spoke out against the incident, however protests against the PA and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas went on for several days.

Following the outrage, the PA announced that nine PA officers, including five high-ranking officers, would face disciplinary action over the attack.